The uptake of Coffee Chery Advance disbursement has been upscaled with Sh232.7 million released to farmers in the last one month. The national government backed advance disbursement fund controlled by New Kenya Planters Coffee Union (NKPCU) in a mother of March 14,531 farmers benefitted.
In the 21 counties listed to had received the allocation, Kiambu farmers got the largest share of Sh48.6 million. The kitty since it was launched to support coffee farmers three years ago has disbursed Sh3.8 billion in 25 counties reaching 313,294 beneficiaries.
NKPCU Managing Director Mr Timothy Mirugi said in the period between March 1 and April 1, in the disbursement programme Kiambu 2,531 farmers pocketed Sh48.6 million.
Last month, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua when he commissioned Murang’a Coffee Mill said the cherry advance fund was open to all the farmers, with NKPCU being a government agent in the disbursement.
“All farmers irrespective of their coffee marketing and milling agents are free to apply for the kitty managed by the NKPCU.” said Mirugi. “Kericho county follows Kiambu with the disbursement of Sh41.9 million for 1,929 coffee growers,” he said.
In Murang’a county, Sh25.9 million was shared by 714 farmers while in Nyeri county only 12 applied for the funding where Sh924,680 was allocated.
Coffee growers in Bungoma county benefitted with Sh35.2 million.Mirugi said in the months of December, January and February, 181,825 farmers applied for the fund amounting to Sh2.3 billion.
“We disbursed the kitty to farmers affiliated to 186 cooperative societies and estates and presently we are sentising farmers on the need to apply for the funding from the government backed organisation,” said Mirugi.
In the disbursement programme, Kambusu Farmers’ Cooperative in Machakos, emerged the highest beneficiary after it got Sh11,544,306 for its 1,919 farmers.
In Kericho, its 189 coffee farmers affiliated to four cooperative societies got Sh9,039,576. In the disbursement programme, Kambusu Farmers’ Cooperative in Machakos, emerged the highest beneficiary after it got Sh11,544,306 for its 1,919 farmers.
In Kericho, its 189 coffee farmers affiliated to four cooperative societies got Sh9,039,576 and the benefitting societies were Meswon, Kiguskong, and Kunyak cooperative societies.